The present invention relates generally to the technical field of accessories for electrical appliances, in particular a ceiling fitting or cover for use in combination with an electric lamp or electrical appliance hanging in an electrical cord or cable from the ceiling which ceiling fitting or cover is used for covering the fixture of the cord or cable to the ceiling and/or for covering a connection to a ceiling outlet or to an extension cable or cord.
In private homes, office buildings, factories, production plants, etc. a number of electrical appliances and lamps are used hanging from the ceiling of the building or house in question. Examples of lamps hanging from the ceiling are swinging lamps and spot lamps, and examples of appliances are displaying devices, display or television monitors, fan blowers (ventilators), heaters, loudspeakers, etc. The above list of application sites, such as houses, buildings, etc. and the above list of electrical appliances are by no means to be considered complete and application of an electrical appliance used in a hanging mode hanging from a ceiling or other fixation surface is to be construed comprised in the above list. Furthermore it is to be understood that the terms used in the present context referring to the orientation of the ceiling fitting or cover is to be understood in the meaning of the intended use of the ceiling fitting as the ceiling fitting is used hanging from a ceiling, normally a substantially horizontal ceiling and the terms “up” and “down”, “upper” and “lower” etc. are to be considered in the context of the above referred intentional application of the ceiling fitting or cover.
In particular in connection with swinging lamps which are suspended in an electrical wire or cord, which is fixed to the ceiling surface, e.g. to an AC power outlet or to a suspension hook or similar suspension element, it is customary to use a ceiling fitting for covering the electrical installation such as the AC power outlet or the suspension hook or similar element. A number of ceiling fittings are known from e.g. SE patents 200 070 and 388 025, published DE patent applications 2 159 985 and 2 932 334, GB patents 202 056 A and 225 1983 A, and WO 96/21123, corresponding to European patent EP 0 801 171, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,034,328, 6,521,836, 1,517,846, 3,926,141, 4,422,478, 4,453,353, 4,808,774, 5,029,704 and 5,153,383. Reference is made to the above-mentioned patent applications and patents, and the above US patents are hereby incorporated in the present specification by reference.
A common drawback of the prior art fittings relates to the proper and safe fixation of a ceiling fitting or cover to the electrical cord or cable, and consequently a safe and reliable positioning and fixture of the ceiling fitting or cover relative to the surface, relative to which the ceiling fitting or cover is to be manufactured in a permanent position for achieving the intentional goal of having the electrical power outlet, the suspension hook or other suspension or extension elements properly covered within the ceiling fitting or cover. Numerous references describe the use of a tight fit between the body of the ceiling fitting or cover established by the wall of the ceiling fitting or cover and/or the use of minor barbs or hooks or an elastic element such as a rubber ceiling ring for establishing the lasting and safe fixation of the ceiling fitting or cover relative to the electrical cord or cable.
Through experiments which the inventor has made in developing the technique described in the above-mentions international patent application, it has been realized that a need exists for an improved ceiling fitting or cover, in particular an improvement relating to the obtaining of a lasting and safe positioning of the ceiling fitting or cover relative to the electrical cord or cable to which the ceiling fitting or cover is mounted, and also relative to the ceiling from which the electrical cord or cable is suspended.
It has further been realized that although certain electrical outlet elements using permanent fixtures, e.g. tightening cable fixtures, may be used for the proper and safe fixation of the ceiling fitting or cover relative to the suspension cord or cable, a need exists for the provision of a ceiling fitting or cover which on the one hand allows an easy mounting without the use of any tools, and on the other hand allows a unidirectional movement of the ceiling fitting or cover from a lowered position to the raised position in the intentional position of the ceiling fitting or cover positioned close to the ceiling and preventing any intentional or unintentional movement of the ceiling fitting or cover downwards from the intentional position and in doing so ensuring a safe and proper permanent positioning of the ceiling fitting or cover relative to the suspension cable or cord, and consequently relative to the ceiling.